Move On When Reading

MOVE ON WHEN READING

In this information age, acquiring the ability to read and write proficiently is both necessary and crucial for a student’s academic success. It is essential that K-3 students have full access to effective, strategic and purposeful reading and writing instruction using strategies that have been proven to be successful with research and evidence.

Arizona State Statute 15-704 requires school districts and charters to provide effective reading instruction, with initial screening; on-going diagnostic and classroom based reading assessments, and a system to monitor student progress.

Arizona’s revised statute 15-211 requires all school districts and charters with a K-3 program to submit a comprehensive plan for reading instruction and intervention across grade kindergarten through grade three. State funding is provided to schools to support the implementation of their K-3 reading plan. The goal is to have all grade three students in Arizona reading proficiently at grade level.

Arizona Revised Statute 15 – 701 states that if data on the third grade statewide reading assessment is available and demonstrates that a student scored “falls far below” the student shall not be promoted from the third grade. There are two exemptions in Arizona Revised Statute 15-701. In accordance with the new law, a school district governing board or the governing body of a charter school is allowed to promote a student who earns a score of “falls far below” on the third grade statewide reading assessment only for the following reasons:

The student is an English Language Learner or Limited English Proficient who has received less than two years of English instruction; or

A student with disabilities has an individualized education plan(IEP), and the IEP-team, which includes the student’s parent/guardian, agrees that promotion is appropriate

An Important Note for Educators and Parents:

This year AzMERIT will be given for the first time in Spring 2015. As with the first administration on any statewide assessment it will take much longer for schools to receive student scores because of the standard setting process. Therefore, schools will not have student scores on AzMERIT back in time in 2015 to determine if a student should be held back. This means the MOWR law will not be used to make retention decisions for the 2015-2016 school year.

Once Spring 2015 AzMERIT scores are available, fall of 2015, SchoolsMUST provide Intervention and/or remedial strategies to students who were promoted to 4th grade and FFB on the reading portion of the spring 2015 AzMERIT Assessment.

2015 Legislative Changes (SB 1461) Effective July 3rd, 2015

SB1461 was signed into law by the Governor and will become effective on July 3rd, 2015. SB1461 amends the MOWR law by expanding the list of students exempt from the retention requirement to include students in the process of a special education referral or evaluation for placement in special education and/or students that have been diagnosed as having a significant reading impairment, including dyslexia. The bill defines “dyslexia” as a brain-based learning difference that impairs a person’s ability to read and spell, that is independent of intelligence and that typically causes a person to read at levels lower than expected.

Additionally SB1461 requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to allow certificated teachers and administrators to count training for the screening, intervention, accommodation, use of technology and advocacy for students with reading impairments towards continuing education credits.

If you have questions about Move On When Reading (MOWR), feel free to contact us:

moveonwhenreading@azed.gov

MOWR & AzMERIT Click the flag below for more information regarding the adoption of the new statewide assessment, AzMerit, and its effects on Move On When Reading legislation.

Attention Parents/Guardians!

The best reading support you can give your child is to read daily, nightly and always to your child. A suggested 20 minutes a day is great, more is even better, and research has shown that reading to your child in their home language is just as beneficial as the second language they are trying to learn!!